LEWIS Courtier-Jones’ preparations for the inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games may have been beset by injury problems but the Coventry snowboarder insists he is ready to take on the world’s best in Innsbruck.

LEWIS Courtier-Jones’ preparations for the inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games may have been beset by injury problems but the Coventry snowboarder insists he is ready to take on the world’s best in Innsbruck.

Courtier-Jones suffered a fall in practice in November of last year that fractured and dislocated his wrist leaving him in plaster until Christmas.

And after being forced to wait his turn before joining up with the 24-strong Great Britain team headed to Austria, the 16-year-old is itching to get out on the slopes and show his worth in the competition that gets underway tomorrow.

“The qualification process was quite confusing and that’s why it took so long for me to get my place in the team, I only found out three weeks ago,” said Courtier-Jones.

“It was a lot later for me to find out which is quite nerve-wracking because I’ve only just got my wrist out of plaster having broken it near the end of last year.

“So since then I have barely had a chance to get out on the board. I’ve been in a half-pipe twice since July so who knows how it’s going to go?

“Training has been good though and I’m already feeling used to being back in the pipe so as long as I feel my way back in, everything should be OK.”

But despite the wrist problem that has forced the former Ryton Primary School pupil onto the sidelines, Courtier-Jones is confident he can go all the way in Innbsruck.

“I know most of the other snowboarders going, I compete and ride with them most of the time and my target is to make the finals,” he added.

“There are qualifications, semi-finals and finals and I think I can make it to the final.

“But this is my first international event representing team GB, it’s a brand new experience and I’m already looking forward to getting out there.

“The boarders are going to be the best out there in the world for my age group so it will be an amazing experience.”

* The British Olympic Association prepares and leads British athletes at the summer, winter and youth Olympic Games. It works in partnership with sport National Governing Bodies to enhance Olympic success and is responsible for championing the Olympic values. www.olympics.org.uk .